Epidendrum plant named ‘Big Red’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Epidendrum  plant named ‘Big Red’, characterized by its upright and columnar plant habit with outwardly arching leaves; freely clumping growth habit; strong stems; freely flowering habit; and dark red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Epidendrum ibaguense.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BIG RED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Epidendrum plant, botanically known as Epidendrum ibaguense and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Big Red’.

The new Epidendrum plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Epidendrum ibaguense ‘Fiesta’, not patented. The new Epidendrum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant from within a population of plants of ‘Fiesta’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Miami, Fla. on Mar. 15, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Epidendrum plant by divisions in a controlled environment in Miami, Fla. since Apr. 3, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Epidendrum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Epidendrum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Big Red’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Big Red’ as a new and distinct Epidendrum plant:

-   -   1. Upright and columnar plant habit with outwardly arching         leaves.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit.     -   3. Strong stems.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dark red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Epidendrum differ from plants of the parent, ‘Fiesta’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Epidendrum are more freely clumping than         plants of ‘Fiesta’.     -   2. Plants of the new Epidendrum have stronger stems than plants         of ‘Fiesta’.     -   3. Plants of the new Epidendrum and ‘Fiesta’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Fiesta’ have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Epidendrum can also be compared to plants of Epidendrum ‘Pacific Ember’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Miami, Fla., plants of the new Epidendrum differed from plants of ‘Pacific Ember’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Epidendrum were more freely clumping than         plants of ‘Pacific Ember’.     -   2. Plants of the new Epidendrum had stronger stems than plants         of ‘Pacific Ember’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Epidendrum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Epidendrum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Big Red’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Big Red’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Miami, Fla. and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Epidendrum production. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Epidendrum ibaguense ‘Big Red’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Epidendrum     ibaguense ‘Fiesta’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 27° C. soil             temperature.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; close to 155D             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and columnar with outwardly             arching leaves; freely clumping habit; vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 39             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About 57             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 25 cm. -   Stem description:     -   -   Length (soil level to base of inflorescence).—About 49 cm.         -   Diameter.—At the base of the plant, about 8 mm to 9 mm; at             the base of the inflorescence, about 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.75 cm.         -   Aspect.—Upright.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Towards the base of the plant, close to 146A faintly             tinged with close to 187A; towards the inflorescence, close             to 146A heavily tinged with close to 187A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate, two-ranked; simple.         -   Length, fully expanded.—About 13 cm.         -   Width, fully expanded.—About 4 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Venation.—Parallel.         -   Aspect.—Outwardly arching, keeled.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; thick, leathery.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between N137A and             147A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A to N137C;             venation, close to N137A to N137C. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 146A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter, flattened: About             2.4 cm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             waxy. Color, upper surface: Close to 146B tinged with close             to 187A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A tinged with             close to 187A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Flower form and arrangement.—Single star-shaped flowers             arranged in dense terminal racemose inflorescences; flowers             with two lateral petals, one modified median petal and three             sepals that are similar to the lateral petals; freely             flowering habit with about 28 flowers developing per flower;             flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 9 cm to 11 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9.5 cm.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 3.6 cm.             Depth: About 1.6 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 185A to 185B.         -   Perianth.—Lateral petals and sepals: Length: About 1.8 cm             Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Obtuse to acute.             Base: Cuneate, fused into a slender tube. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Median petal: Length: Tube, about 2.7 cm; flaring             towards the apex into a three-parted palmate platform, about             1.5 cm. Width: Tube, about 3 mm; platform, about 2 cm. Apex:             Emarginate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous, velvety. Color, petals and sepals: When opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 53A; throat,             mottled with close to 17A and 12A; color does not change             with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 182A; tube, close to 144A tinged with             close to 182A; color does not change with development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Aspect:             Upright, erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 146A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Aspect: Outwardly to arching. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between 182A and 184B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: One per flower.             Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Globular.             Anther color: Close to 6A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 6A. Pistils: None observed.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Epidendrum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Epidendrum have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Epidendrum. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Epidendrum plant named ‘Big Red’ as illustrated and described. 